The Path We Travel
by jhunt
Summary: This is my attempt at a sorta fussion of Ranma 1/2 and DBZ, you won't see very many of the DBZ gang in it though. A retelling of some of the DBZ timeline in the Ranma Universe


disclaimer: Okay most of the character's used in this part are mine....but  
after that...  
well I will be borrowing heavily. I know it doesn't look like it yet, but  
trust me this will be a Ranma 1/2 fusion story. I didn't create Ranma 1/2 or any  
of its characters. That was Rumiko Takahashi. Nor did I create Dragon Ball,  
that was Akira Toriyama. I'm only borrowing for a time.  
  
  
  
The Path We Travel  
  
J Broken  
  
  
Far a way and years ago....  
  
On a balcony over looking a vast city, a tall, solidly built man stood. His  
hair was dark, long, and unusually spiky. He was dressed in silver armor  
that covered his chest and expanded with golden shoulder guards. He gazed  
up at the cool night sky impassively. It was almost time. He could feel it  
in his bones that never again would he gaze up at that sky. He snorted to  
himself at the sentimentality of such a thought. He was a proud warrior, of  
a proud warrior race, and had no use for such musing. Still, his gaze never  
wavered from that clear sky with its pale quarter moon, and he could not  
help but feel regret that it would all end tonight. He heard footsteps  
approaching from behind him, but did not turn when they came to a stop not  
far from him. He knew who it would be, the scientist Peaz. Under normal  
circumstance, he would have had nothing to do with the weakling. A  
scientist. The very thought of one of his race turning form battle to such  
useless pursuits left a bad taste in his mouth. He stood silently,  
pointedly ignoring the newcomer. Many seconds passed before the scientist  
finally spoke.  
  
"Lord Korn," Peaz said, his voice betraying none of his nervousness. "The  
preparations are complete. Everything is set, all we await now is a time  
frame for initiation of the project."  
  
Korn turned a stern gaze to the scientist, causing Peaz to swallow slightly  
and take half a step back.  
  
"Tonight," Korn said, then went back to watching the sky.  
  
"Tonight?" Peaz repeated incredulously, his fear momentarily forgotten.  
"But my lord surely..."  
Whatever he was about to say was cut off as a beam of yellow energy barely  
missed his head. Instead it hit the wall behind and left a head sized,  
smoking hole.  
  
"Tonight," Korn repeated lowering his hand. He had not even turned his  
head. Peaz swallowed then nodded and turned to quickly leave. Korn  
continued to watch the sky, awaiting. As he expected not long afterward he  
heard another set of footsteps approaching. This time, however, Korn smiled  
slightly to himself.  
  
"So what's the rush that we have to launch tonight?" came a sour, slightly  
annoyed voice from behind him. Korn glanced over his shoulder, to a man  
that would pass for a much younger version of himself.  
  
"Tonight's the night, Cabbash," Korn said to the younger man. "I can feel  
it in my bones."  
  
The younger man snorted.  
  
"Even if that's true I don't see why we're doing this," the man, Cabbash,  
replied. "I say we fight. If you're right and he's coming to destroy us  
all then I say we get him first. Even HE can't take all of us."  
  
"Maybe," Cabbash said. "But I doubt it. I doubt we could convince anyone  
there is a reason to fight. We have served him long and faithfully, so I  
doubt they would believe he would destroy us."  
  
"Then we should go to the king," the young man said.  
  
"The king knows," Korn replied. "He has his own plan."  
  
"Then maybe..." Cabbash began.  
  
"No," Korn said turning towards the young warrior. "We can't defeat HIM, at  
least not yet. That's why we have chosen this course. It allows for our  
survival, and our vengeance."  
  
Cabbash scowled and folded his arms, and smirked.  
  
"Well if you're set on doing this I guess there's nothing left to say,"  
Cabbash said then started rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "And I always did  
want to rule a world of my own. What's it called again?"  
  
"Earth," Korn said.  
  
"E-yarth eh?" Cabbash laughed. "Well anyone who would name their planet  
something so stupid is just begging to be taken over. Well if we're going  
to do this I suppose I should get going."  
  
Cabbash turned and started to leave. He was stopped by Korn's voice.  
  
"Cabbash," the younger man stopped and inclined his head to look over his  
shoulder. "Watch out for your sister."  
  
"Don't you mean take care of your sister, father?" Cabbash asked.  
  
"No son, I mean watch out for her," Korn said seriously. Cabbash smirked  
and raised his hand to wave at his father as he walked away. Once alone  
again, Korn turned to gaze up to the sky again.  
  
"Very soon now," he said to himself.  
  
In the hanger  
  
Cabbash walked in to the hanger still wearing his smirk. With in was a  
large ship. As a rule, his people did not use such things. Their space  
pods usually served their need. This, however was a special mission. Peaz  
was there yelling out final orders, and pulling at his hair in frustration.  
  
"Is the cargo loaded?" Cabbash asked walking up to the scientist. He  
smirked as the weakling jumped, not having heard the warrior approach.  
  
"Yes, the children are all loaded on board," Peaz responded, he looked down  
at his not pad. "All are in cryo sleep in separate pods."  
  
"Good," Cabbash said and gazed up at the ship. He noticed some lettering  
over on the hull. "Bella's Boat?"  
  
"Well, eh, her highness insisted on the name," Peaz said sweatdroping .  
  
"Where is my darl'n little sister now?" Cabbash asked with a roll of his  
eyes. Peaz momentarily look relieved that the larger warrior was not angry  
at the name.  
  
"She and the girl Peppria were the last ones loaded on," he said. "They  
have been put in cryo sleep in the crew area, but I they haven't undergone  
the treatment yet."  
  
Cabbash's eyes narrowed.  
  
"What treatment?" he said dangerously. The scientist paled and stepped  
away.  
  
"W-well since the point of this mission is secrecy, I thought that it would  
make it harder for HIM to find you if I suppressed some of our abilities  
and traits. So I have put a damper on the baby's power and removed  
their..."  
  
"You did what," Cabbash said snatching Peaz up by the collar.  
  
"I thought it would be a good idea!" the scientist said in a panic. "It's  
temporary, as soon as you land on the planet it can be reversed with this!"  
  
The scientist fished around in his pocket and offered the warrior a small  
round devise.  
  
"This will remove everything I did," he said. "I gave one to both your  
sister and the Peppria girl."  
  
Cabbash took the devise, then tossed the scientist to the floor.  
  
"I thought it would be a good idea," Peaz said hastily.  
  
"Well here's what you get for thinking," Cabbash said, then raised his hand  
and obliterated the scientist with an energy blast. He then turned to the  
sweating technicians.  
  
"Load me in now and then launch," he said.  
  
  
The ship blasted off not long after that. Just as a saucer shaped craft was  
coming into orbit on the other side of the planet. As it was about to  
engage the ship's engines, a small, horned figure laughed, and with but a  
finger destroyed the Planet Vegita. The shock wave of the blast, combined  
with the flare of the experimental engines, ripped a hole in both space and  
dimension. Hurtling out of control, the ship finally appeared at what would  
have been the its destination had it stayed in its own universe. Internal  
fires cause by the chaos caused the cargo hold to explode. Most of the  
small life pods then drifted off into space, those inside never again to  
wake. A few, however crashed on the planet below and survived. Hurtaling  
out of control, the ship crashed into the ocean, its three sleeping crew  
members, still held safely in their suspended animation pods, and sank into  
the cold sea. The saiyajins had come to earth.  
  
  
1a: Awakenings  
  
-Kami's lookout-  
  
Kami gazed out over the earth from the edge of his lofty lookout. He had  
come to love this  
planet after his many years as guardian. For the moment everything was in  
relative peace, but  
something was bothering him. He could sense something stirring, some  
sleeping force the likes of  
which he had not felt for decades. And that last time had been only  
briefly. Something was  
being set in motion, and he had no idea what it would mean.  
  
Mr. Popo stood behind him, looking worriedly at the old namek.  
  
"Is everything all right, Kami?" he asked, his concern showing in his voice.  
  
"I do not know Mr. Popo." Kami replied. "I haven't felt anything like this  
since Demon Piccolo  
was defeated and I fear this will prove much worse."  
  
"Oh my," Popo responded. "What shall we do."  
  
"For now, nothing." Kami responded. "We will wait until we understand more  
of what is transpiring."  
  
"And then?"  
  
"Then we will call on some old friends, Mr. Popo."  
  
They both gazed out over the Earth in silence.  
  
-Coast of Japan-  
  
It was a quiet day for fishing. Kazumi stood on the shore gazing out  
at the vast sea, glad he`d decided to go on a fishing trip for his  
yearly vacation. He took a deep breath and let it out  
with a content sigh. He had just begun to push his small boat into the  
water, when a loud explosion caught his attention. His head snapped in  
the to stare out over the water and he caught sight of what appeared to  
be two shooting stars blazing in the sky. The problem was that  
they were going up instead of down. He stood there gaping slack jawed,  
then noticed a speck approaching him, flying just above the water, and  
leaving a large wake behind it. As the speck neared, Kazumi rubbed his  
eyes to make sure he was seeing what he thought he was seeing. The  
speck was a person.  
  
When the speck reached land, it settled down on the beach, causing  
Kazumi to rub his eyes again. It was a person, a girl to be exact.  
She slightly shorter than him, and looked to be about 17  
or 18, with long black that cascaded down her back, her bangs jutting  
forward in gravity defining spikes. She was wearing a black, knee and  
elbow length body suit under a strange set of red and black, almost  
insect like armor, that didn't do much to hide her well-defined, yet  
still feminine muscles. Around her waist she wore what appeared to be  
a brown furry belt, and on her head she had a strange looking device  
that was attached to her ear and had an eyepiece that went around  
over her right eye.  
  
She looked around as if getting her bearings. She spotted Kazumi  
looking at her and narrowed her eyes, causing him to gulp slightly and  
take a step back. She reached her hand up and tapped a button on the  
side of the device and it made a beeping sound. The girl snorted and  
mirked.  
  
"Power level 5," she said her voice amused. "Pathetic. Well at least  
it should make finding the others easier."  
  
"Who are you," Kazumi asked finding his voice at last. The girl  
ignored him. She tapped the button again turning around as if looking  
for something.  
  
"Ah that must be them," she said looking at the readings of her  
eyepiece.  
  
"Hey I asked you who you were," Kazumi said. He then grabbed her  
shoulder in an attempt to turn her to face him. Without even changing  
expression, the girl grabbed his wrist, and Kazumi found himself being  
flung far out into the water. He landed with a splash and came up just  
in time to yelp and submerge again as, courtesy of a kick from the  
girl, his boat splashed down. He surfaced again and scrambled onto his  
upside down boat just in time to see the girl launch herself into the  
air and fly off.  
  
"Next year I'll just go hiking," Kazumi said to himself.  
  
-------------------  
  
-Nerima Ward-  
  
A young man stood at an intersection gazing balefully one way, then the  
other. Upon his back he carried a large pack with a red umbrella tied  
own on top. He was wearing a yellow tunic and loose black pants, and a  
yellow and black bandana kept his bangs out of his eyes. He had been  
standing at the intersection for over twenty minutes, unable to make up  
his mind as to which was the correct path to follow. With certainty,  
he knew one would lead him to his accursed enemy, and the other would  
leave him once again lost and wondering. He considered stopping  
someone to ask directions, but the streets were strangely deserted. He  
could make out the sound of vehicles and people not to far away, but  
none of them was heading in his direction, and he did not wish to  
chance getting even further lost.  
  
"So close," he said under his breath. "I know I'm almost there. Soon  
Ranma Saotome, very soon I will have my vengeance."  
  
He smirked at the thought, and the look Ranma would have on his face  
when he, Ryoga Hibiki defeated him. Ryoga chuckled darkly at the  
thought of Ranma's annoying smirk being wiped off of his face. At  
last Ryoga had found the means to defeating the detested Saotome. The  
best of it was that he had come up with the technique himself. He had  
discovered the technique while recovering from a beating he had  
received after accidentally gotten after wondering into the women's   
area of a hot spring. After that he had spent days refining and  
perfecting it. He had then sent a challenge to Ranma telling the   
pigtailed martial artist to be ready for him in three days. That had   
been nearly a week ago. Ryoga looked to his right, then to  
his left.  
  
"Damn it Ranma where are you!" he bellowed in frustration. He stood   
for a moment panting, then came to the decision to just pick one and   
ask the hope, when his danger sense stopped him. His eyes narrowed and   
his hand went up to grip his umbrella. As he watched in weary wonder, a  
strangely dressed girl floated down from the sky to stand before him.   
The strange device she had on the side of her head beeped, and strange   
symbols flashed one the eyepiece then came to a stop.  
  
"250," she said, and smirked at him smugly. "Disappointing, but still   
still its the highest I've seen yet."  
  
"Who are you," Ryoga asked. Something about the girl before him felt   
wrong, and his danger sense was screaming at him, though from the looks   
of her he could not tell why. The girl smirked at him again.  
  
"The question my friend is who are you," she said. She reached behind   
her back and pulled out a small round device. "Lets find out shall we."  
  
She pressed a button on the device and Ryoga suddenly felt as if his   
very blood was on fire. He gasped and felt a wave of dizziness sweep through him, and he fell to one knee. Then, as suddenly as it had appeared it was gone.  
  
"Well, well, it looks like you were worth my time after all," she said.  
Ryoga looked up at her slightly dazed. "I'm hear to offer you a   
proposition."  
  
"W-what did you do to me," Ryoga asked and got shakily back to his feet.  
Something felt differant, and his balance felt off slightly.  
  
"I gave you back your birthright," the girl said. Having said that, the  
brown "belt" around her waist unwound, reveilling itself to be a tail.   
Ryoga gawked.  
  
"Pardon me but did you know you had a tail," he said. The girl blinked   
at him then narrowed her eyes.  
  
"You're one to talk," she said. This time Ryoga blinked, and looked   
down.  
  
"What did you do to me!" he yelled as he saw that he now to had a brown  
monkey-like tail.  
  
"I told you I gave you back your birthright," she said. Ryoga looked  
at her with panic filled eyes.  
  
"You mean I was born a monkey?!" he shrieked. The girl didn't   
facefault, but it was close.  
  
"No you idiot," she yelled back, then took a few breaths to calm   
herself.  
  
"Look," she began again. "I've come to offer you a deal."  
  
"Which is?" Ryoga asked, still sounding slightly frazzled. The woman  
smirked and put her hands on her hips.  
  
"Join me in conquering this weak world or die," she said tilting her   
head to the side slightly as she did.  
  
"I don't know who you are," Ryoga said getting into a ready stance. "Or  
what you did to me. But I'm not doing anything to help you. Now undo   
whatever it was you did."  
  
"You think you can take me, weakling?" she laughed. "Go a head then, take your best shot or are you to afraid of this widdle girl?"  
  
Ryoga frowned. He did not want to hurt the girl, but things had not   
been going well for him today, and those last comments had proven to be the straw that broke the Hibiki's back. The confident, condescending   
smirk she directed at him also matched the one he had seen smeared  
across Ranma`s face far to often. With a cry, he leapt towards her, his  
plan to tag her just hard enough to knock her out without really   
hurting her. He was stunned when the girl easily caught he's hand. He   
became slightly worried when he found he could not  
free it.  
  
"What the?!" he asked as he tried in vain to pull he's hand from the  
girl's apparently casual grip.  
  
"So that was the best you could do huh," the girl said smirking. "My  
turn."  
  
She lifted her other hand, and Ryoga's eyes widened as he saw a sphere of yellow energy form before it.  
  
"Goodbye," the girl said. The energy blast caught Ryoga square in his   
chest and sent him flying back into a large concrete wall with the   
sound and force of a bomb detonating. The wall itself shattered, and   
crumpled inward on top of the lost boy, sending up a cloud of dust into   
the air. When it cleared, all that could be seen was a large pile of   
jagged broken rocks with a single broken water pipe sending a geyser of   
water into the air like a fountain in the center. The girl snorted and   
checked her scouter. The boy's power reading was gone.   
  
"Well that's one scratched off my list," she said and turned to where   
the next reading was coming from. "Looks like most of the rest are   
together and nearby. Lets hope they're smarter."  
  
With that she leapt into the air and headed off. Had she cared to turn  
and look, she would have saw a small, bruised and battered black piglet   
crawl out from under the ruined wall, and, watching extremely carefully   
as she flew, follow her from the ground.  
  
Meanwhile, in another part of Nerima, a certain pigtailed martial   
artist was convinced that he had stumbled into the 10th circle of Hell,   
and if Nabiki Tendo was not Lucifer, then the King of Hell owed the   
middle Tendo daughter enough cash that it was close enough to be a moot   
point. The reason for this conviction came from two things, one that   
his school was holding a dance at the end of the week. The second was   
that Nabiki had sold tickets for dances for him. The result was not   
pretty. Ranma was being chased by four irate females, three   
brandishing tickets, the fourth a large wooden mallet. If that was not   
bad enough, both Kuno and Mousse had shown up and had joined in the   
chase. Somewhere around the Cat Cafe, Cologne and Happosai had also   
joined in. Somehow the mob had managed to make their way back to the   
Tendo home. Ranma now stood with his back pressed firmly against the   
back wall, his fiancees in a half circle around him, and Mousse  
and Kuno arguing not far away about which one of them was to defeat him  
first. Cologne was sitting on the porch drinking tea and watching the   
events unfold with some amusement. Next to her, also drinking tea sat   
the fathers, tears in their eyes. Happosai had vanished just after   
they had passed a lingerie store that was having it's grand opening in   
the neighborhood.  
  
"Can't we just talk about this," Ranma asked holding his hands up nervously.  
  
"No talk," Shampoo responded.  
  
"Right, sugar," Ukyo added, "all you have to say is which one of us   
you're taking to the dance."  
  
Ranma gulped.  
  
"I, um, er, that is," Ranma stammered.  
  
"Well?" Akane growled, gripping the handle of her mallet tighter.  
  
"HOHOHOHO, I don't know why you three are bothering to ask when it is  
obvious that my Ranma darling is going to choose me," Kodachi said.   
This immediately turned all the girls' attention on her. Ranma said a   
silent prayer and began to slowly inch away as they began bickering   
amongst themselves. He had almost made it, when he suddenly stopped   
and his head snapping up towards the sky.  
  
"What the heck is that," he said. All the bickering stopped and   
everyone turned towards him.  
  
"You feel it too, eh, son-in-law," came Cologne's voice, the Amazon   
elder having come up beside him. Her gaze was troubled as she looked   
to the sky. "Whatever it is, it is coming this way. This does not   
bode well."  
  
On the porch, Soun and Genma were also gazing to the sky.  
  
"I've never felt anything like this," Soun said.  
  
"Neither have I Tendo," Genma responded.  
  
"What should we do, Saotome?"  
  
"What any martial artist in our position would do, Tendo."  
  
"Go inside and hope not to get involved?"  
  
"Exactly."  
  
With that, the fathers retreated into the house.  
Back outside.  
  
"What are you two talking about," Akane asked walking up behind them and  
looking at the sky. "I don't feel anything."  
  
"Hiya, if grandmother say is something coming, then is something   
coming," Shampoo piped in. She walked over to stand beside her   
grandmother.  
  
"If this is some foul plot designed to fool us into staying your   
righteous demise then there shall be grave consequences." This came   
from Kuno.  
  
Ukyo opened her mouth have her to have her say, but instead her jaw   
dropped and her eyes bulged.  
  
"W-what is that?!" she asked raising a shaking hand to point to the   
sky. As they all watched in shock, a figure descended from the sky and   
landed on the wall. She stood smirking down at them, her arms crossed.  
  
"Who are you," Ranma asked.  
  
"My name is Peppria and I've been looking for you," the girl responded.  
Ranma grimaced and cast a nervous glance to the fiancees. He gulped at   
the storm he saw building. He looked quickly around for his pop, then   
let out a quiet stream of curses when he found the old man nowhere  
in sight.  
  
"Listen, sugar," Ukyo said glaring up at the girl, and pulled the   
spatula from off her back. "Ranma honey is taken. So be a good little   
girl and go back to wherever you came from."  
  
"Ranma belong Shampoo, no let silly hair girl take airen," the purple   
haired Amazon declared, producing her bombari.  
  
"What do you have to say for yourself, baka," Akane said glaring at   
Ranma.  
  
"Hey, I got no clue what's going on here," Ranma said. "It must be  
something my pop did."  
  
"Harlot," Kodachi said placing a black rose in her mouth and twirling   
her ribbon in the air. "How dare you pursue my Ranma darling. I see   
you need to be taught manners by your betters."  
  
"I have no idea who this Ranma person is," Peppria responded. "I'm   
here to offer those of you who prove worthy a choice."  
  
"I brought some tea, would nyone like some," said Kasumi at this point   
as she stepped out on the porch. She then spotted the strange girl on   
the wall. "Oh my, Ranma have you made a new friend?"  
  
Everyone sweatdropped slightly but said nothing to that.  
  
"Look I don't know what you want, but if you came for I fight, I'm   
telling ya now I don't hit girls," Ranma said.  
  
"That's okay Ranchan," Ukyo said getting in a ready stance. "I got no  
problem hitting her."  
  
"Shampoo fight too," Shampoo agreed also getting in a ready stance.  
  
"Careful," Cologne said squinting at the girl on the wall. "This girl   
is more powerful than she appears."  
  
"This common harridan is no threat to Kodachi the Black Rose," Kodachi  
stated smirking, then let laughed her trade mark laugh.  
  
"Lets find out then," Peppria said, then produced a small ball like   
device. Everyone tensed and readied themselves for what ever she was   
planning. She pressed the button on the device and it let out a high   
pitched buzz. For most of those gathered nothing happened. For three   
there was an instant reaction though. Ukyo and Kasumi both let out a   
scream and fell forward to curl up on the ground. Ranma let out a   
pained yell and went to one knee. The others, save Cologne, let  
out a cry and leapt at the girl. With a laugh, Peppria held up her   
hand and a blast of energy hit her attackers. They all fell to the   
ground unconscious, singed and slightly smoking. Meanwhile, Ranma,   
Ukyo and Kasumi had recovered, with the two martial artists getting   
slowly to their feet, and Kasumi sitting shakily on the ground staring   
with wide eyes at the scene before her. Ranma immediately went over to   
kneel beside Akane.  
  
"What did you do," Ranma asked through clenched teeth. "And you're   
going to pay for hurting my friends."  
  
"Pathetic, not one of them had a power level worth mentioning." Peppria   
said then looked at the four left standing and checked her scouter.  
  
"30," she stated looking at Cologne.  
  
"275," she said looking at Ranma.  
  
"200," she said to Ukyo, then turned to Kasumi. "300. My that's the  
highest I've read on this pitiful planet."  
  
"What are you talking about," Ukyo snapped.  
  
"I believe that device on her head allows her to read an opponent's   
fighting power," Cologne said giving the young woman a hard gaze.  
  
"Correct," the young woman said and leapt down off the wall.  
  
"And what did that other device do to son-in-law and the others."  
  
"I gave them back their birthright." Peppria said. "Their birthright as  
saiyajin warriors."  
  
"What are you babbling about," Ranma snapped. Peppria smiled and   
uncoiled her tail.  
  
Cologne's eyes widened and she looked from Ranma to Ukyo.  
  
"Son in law," she said and pointed. "Look."  
  
Ranma looked down over his shoulder and gaped. Ukyo did the same and   
let out a loud squeal. Kasumi blinked, and did the same.  
  
"Oh my," she said as she looked at the swishing brown tail protruding   
from under her dress and then blushed. "How embarrassing."  
  
"Embarrassing?!" Ukyo shrieked. "She's given us monkey tails!"  
  
For emphasis she grabbed her brown tail and gave it a hard yank. That  
proved to be a bad idea as she stiffened and fell over.  
  
"Ukyo, you okay?" Ranma yelled.  
  
"Ow, ow, ow, ow," Ukyo said sitting up slowly. "Whatever you two do,   
don't pull on them."  
  
"Their tails are the source of a saiyajin's true power," Peppria   
said. "Now I offer you a choice, do what's in your blood and join me   
in crushing this world, or die."  
  
"Girl or not, I've had about enough of you," Ranma said standing up. He  
found his balance slightly off because of the tail, but adjusted.  
  
"I'm with you, Ranchan," Ukyo said getting back to her feet and holding   
her spatula before her menacingly. Peppria crossed her arms and   
smirked smugly.  
  
"Have it your way," she said. Both the martial artists leapt forward,  
only to have their target seemingly disappear.  
  
"Wha?" Ranma began, only to have a fist impact his chest, followed by a   
kick to the side of his head that sent him crashing in to the opposite   
wall. Ukyo turned just in time to receive a knee to the gut that   
doubled her over, and a double hand chop to the back that slammed her   
to the ground. The female saiyajin smirked, then raised her hand to   
catch a strike aimed at her from the Amazon elders staff. Peppria   
turned to smirk into the startled eyes of Cologne. The scouter beeped.  
  
"Well, well," the saiyajin said. "Hiding your true power eh? It is  
impressive, for this world, but still not enough."  
  
With that, she snapped Cologne's staff, then batted the old woman away.  
With the way clear, Peppria turned her gaze to Kasumi, who sat staring   
with terrified eyes. The saiyajin walked towards the scared young   
woman.  
  
"L-leave her alone," Ranma said as he managed to push himself up   
slightly. "S-she's not a fighter."  
  
"All saiyajins are fighters," Peppria responded. She stopped in front   
of Kasumi and gazed down at the girl with a smirk on her face. Slowly   
she reached down and lifted the girl up by the front of her dress.   
Kasumi shrieked, which caused Peppria to chuckle. The chuckling was cut  
off when Kasumi, born of some long suppressed instinct, lashed out with   
her right hand and caught the armored saiyajin square on the jaw,   
causing her to drop Kasumi and stumble back.   
  
"Way ta go Kasumi," Ranma said.  
  
"Oh dear, I'm sorry," Kasumi said. "I didn't mean to hit you."  
  
"Hey don't apologize to her," Ranma yelled. Peppria rubbed her jaw and  
looked hard at the eldest Tendo daughter. Without a word, she lashed   
out and snatched Kasumi up and hit her hard enough to knock her out,   
then threw her over her shoulder. With that done she turned to look at   
Ranma.  
  
"I'll give you one more chance to join me," she said. "I'll take this   
one with me. If you want to see her again, then come to me."  
  
With that the girl jumped into the air and flew away.  
  
"Hey come back here," Ranma said managing finally to struggle to his   
feet. Ukyo also moaned and pushed herself off the ground.  
  
"Ranchan," she said weakly. "W-what happened."  
  
"She took Kasumi," Ranma said. "I swear she's gonna pay for this."  
  
A few moments later, everyone sat in the Tendo living room. Everyone,   
save Nabiki and the parents looked much worse for wear. Mousse and the Kunos were still unconscious and had been taken upstairs to lay down.   
Genma sat quietly, his arms folded and his eyes closed. Soun was  
raving.  
  
"Ranma how could you let her take my poor Kasumi," he yelled using the   
dread demon head attack. Ranma eeped and backed away waving his arms   
before him.  
  
"Leave the boy be," Cologne said form where she sat, and bopped Soun on   
the head canceling the attack. One of her arms was in a sling and the   
old woman`s clothes were in dishevel. "This girl was far too powerful   
for the son-in-law to stop."  
  
Ranma grimaced in responded, then jerked and stiffened as Akane yanked   
his tail. She had made a habit of that action since finding out the   
effects it had on him.  
  
"Stop doing that you uncute, macho tomboy," he snapped. This earned   
him a cold glare from Akane, and another yank. Across from him, Ukyo   
winched and covered her tail protectively.  
  
"We have to get my sister back," Akane said. "What are we doing just  
sitting here."  
  
"My poor defenseless Kasumi," Soun wailed then burst into tears.  
  
"We'll get her back Mr. Tendo," Ranma said. "She just caught me by   
surprise this time, next time she's mine."  
  
"I wouldn't be too sre about that," came a familiar voice. They all   
turned to see Ryoga standing at the door. He was wet, and the water   
steamed slightly.  
  
"Ryoga!" Akane said.  
  
"Where you been, P-chan," Ranma growled. Ryoga, walked over and grabbed  
Ranma up with a snarl and began to shake him.  
  
"Damn you Ranma how could you let that psychopath hurt Akane and kidnap  
Kasumi," the lost boy demanded.  
  
"R-Ryoga, you have a tail too?" Akane asked, looking at the lost boy's   
brown tail.  
  
"Um, well you see, I," Ryoga began. He let go of Ranma and turned   
towards Akane to and began to blush and rub the back of his head.   
Ranma blinked a few times and grabbed Ryoga's tail tightly, causing the   
lost boy to yelp in surprise and pain.  
  
"Yup, it's real," Ranma said, giving it a jerk. He let go, however when  
Akane's fist connected to his face.  
  
"Baka, stop picking on poor Ryoga," she said. "Ryoga are you alright."  
  
"I-I'm fine Akane," Ryoga responded.  
  
"Stupid tomboy," Ranma murmured under his breath and rubbed his sore   
cheek.  
  
"Don't worry Akane, I swear I'll get your sister back," Ryoga said   
standing up and striking a heroic pose.  
  
"And just how do you plan to find her, bacon breath," Ranma said. "You  
can't even find your way out of the house with out help."  
  
"Shut up Ranma," Akane and Ryoga yelled at once. The pigtailed martial  
artist threw up warding signs and backed away slightly.  
  
"One thing I want to know is why some of you grew tails and why did   
Kasumi grow one?" Nabiki asked. She had been watching the entire   
incident from an upstairs window, and had even managed to get most of   
it on tape. "And just what the heck is a saiyajin."  
  
"Perhaps I may be of some assistance," came a polite voice. They all   
jumped up and assumed ready stances. Standing just off the porch was a   
strange man. He was old and wrinkled and green with two small antenna,   
and held a large staff at his side.  
  
"Kami?" Cologne said stepping forward. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Greetings Cologne, it is good to see you again," the old namek   
said. "I have been watching this situation from above, and I believe   
it is time for some explanations."  
  
"Kami?" Ranma said incredulously. "You mean this is THE Kami?"  
  
"Yes, I am the guardian of this planet," Kami stated turning to the  
pigtailed martial artist. "Does my form surprise you?"  
  
"Well, I just wasn't expecting someone so, well green." Ranma replied.   
Kami smiled.  
  
"I have watched some of your adventures, young Saotome," he said,   
causing Ranma to rub the back of his head nervously.  
  
"Hiya," Shampoo said in a awed voice. "How Great-grandmother know   
Kami?"  
  
"Many years ago Happosai and I helped him defeat a evil demon by the   
name of Piccolo." Cologne replied. "We all became quite good friends."  
  
"Th-the Master is friends with the Kami," Soun said turning to stare in  
horror at Genma.  
  
"No wonder we could never get rid of him," replied Genma.  
  
"Sir, do you know where my sister was taken," Akane asked feeling   
slightly awed herself. It was not everyday that you talked to the Kami   
after all.  
  
"Yes, yes I do," he responded. "But before I tell you there must be   
other explanations."  
  
"But my sister," Akane began but Kami raised his hand.  
  
"The girl is safe for now," he assured her. "But I have a story to tell  
first."  
  
Kami took a deep breath.  
  
"A few decades ago something came to this world, a ship. Something   
happened to it in orbit causing it to explode, and for most of it to   
crashed down into the ocean, not far off shore from this country, and   
sank into the depths. I could sense a destructive evil on board that   
ship, an evil that did not die with the crash but instead slept in its   
watery tomb. Not all of it sank into the ocean, however. One section   
crashed to Earth not to far from here. I went to investigate and found   
five life pods containing five sleeping newborns. I could sense   
something strange about the infants, but nothing destructive, and   
nothing that I felt could link them to the evil I had felt. So I took   
those babies, and I gave them to families that I knew desired children,   
but were unable to have them, to raise. Those children became Toji   
Kuonji, Genma Saotome, Nodoka Shidou, Mitsuko Hibiki, and Emi Natsume."  
  
There was a collective gasp.  
  
"My dad?" Ukyo said. "You mean I'm half alien?"  
  
"I really am a monkey," Ryoga said and buried his head in his hands.  
  
Ranma sat quietly. He looked to Genma, who nodded.  
  
"Shidou was your mother's maiden name," he said.  
  
"As for this Peppria girl, she was part of that destructive evil that I  
felt," Kami continued. "I felt the stirring of it every so often, but   
last night, I felt it awaken."  
  
They digested that for a moment, then Nabiki spoke.  
  
"Okay that explains Ryoga, Ranma, and Ukyo having tails like that   
Peppria girl did, if they're part alien like she is, but what about   
Kasumi?" She pointed out. "Why did she grow a tail."  
  
Soun coughed and everyone turned to him.  
  
"I suppose it is time you were told. Akane, Nabiki, before I married   
your mother I had another wife." He held up his hands to forestall any   
questions. "We were not married very long, and it was an arranged match. Her name was Emi Natsume. We divorced soon after our daughter,   
Kasumi was born and she passed away not too long after that. When I   
married your mother, it was for love, and she loved your sister from   
the start, and raised her as her own."  
  
"How could you keep something like that a secret?" Akane asked angrily.  
  
"We thought it would be in your sister's best interest," Soun said. "A-  
and it was your mother's last wish that she not know."  
  
They all sat silently with their own thoughts. Outside in one of the koi inthe pond lepted from the water and landed with a splash. Ranma   
turned his gaze to the pond, then slowly stood.  
  
"It don't matter if I'm an alien or not," he said. "I'm not going to   
let her get away with what she did."  
  
"For once Saotome, I agree with you," Ryoga said. He stood and faced   
Ranma. They stood staring each other down for a moment, then Ranma   
offered his hand. Ryoga looked slightly surprised, then grinned evilly   
and took it.  
  
"Count me in sugar," Ukyo said standing up.  
  
"Shampoo fight," said the purple haired Amazon getting to her feet.  
  
"Me too," Akane replied jumping up.  
  
"No, you're all staying here," Ranma said. The girls instantly   
protested.  
  
"Ranma no leave Shampoo behind!"  
  
"I'm going, sugar."  
  
"She's my sister, you're not leaving me behind. I'm a martial artist   
too."  
  
"No this is too dangerous," Ranma said.  
  
"Ranma's right," Ryoga said, then blinked. That was twice in one day   
he had agreed with Ranma. He suddenly wondered if the world wasn't   
coming to an end.  
  
"The girl is more powerful than the two of you combined, son-in-law,"  
Cologne observed. "You will need help. Besides, the kidnapped girl is  
Akane's sister, Ukyo by her blood has a stake in this, and Shampoo will   
need to stay by her Airen's side."  
  
"Well first off, I'm not Shampoo's `Airen,'" Ranma pointed   
out. "Secondly, Akane would just get in the way, and as for Ukyo..."  
  
Ranma paused, not able to come up with a suitable reason to keep the   
chef from coming. Ukyo smirked, while Shampoo's eyes narrowed, and   
Akane seethed.  
  
"Are you saying I'm not good enough!" Akane yelled, her battle aura   
flaring. She swung at him, and Ranma easily dodged the blow, leaping   
over Akane to poke the back of her head. Akane snarled and whipped   
around trying to hit him again. Again Ranma easily dodged, and this   
time poked her right between the eyes.  
  
"You're dead, Akane," he said, his voice firm. Akane blinked as her   
eyes crossed then her battle aura faded. She made one final swing at   
him. He didn't dodge, but instead caught her fist.  
  
"You can't even touch me and you want to fight Peppria?" he said.  
  
"I'm a martial artist," She began, though her voice did not have the   
usual heat, sounding more like a sob.  
  
"Akane if you try to fight Peppria, she will kill you, and me and Ryoga   
will die trying to save you."  
  
"I can take care of myself," Akane said.  
  
"Like you did just now?" Ranma asked. "Stop being so stubborn you   
stupid tomboy. You`re way outclassed here."  
  
Ryoga growled and took a step forward, but Cologne stopped him. He was  
about to demand she step aside so he could take care of Ranma, but the   
look the old woman shot him made him pause. He growled instead and   
promised himself he'd take care of Saotome later.  
  
"Let me go, Ranma," Akane snapped.  
  
"No," was his response.  
  
"She's my sister," Akane said pleadingly, her eyes beginning to tear up.  
  
"I know, Akane, and I promise you I will bring her back."  
  
Ranma then sighed and looked deep into Akane's eyes.  
  
"Akane, I'm sorry about this."  
  
Akane's eyes widened, then closed and her body slumped as Ranma hit a  
pressure point on her neck knocking her out. He set her gently on the  
floor, then stared down at her sadly. He turned reluctantly to Shampoo.  
  
"Airen no trick Shampoo like that," Shampoo said taking up a slightly  
defensive stance. She stared intently at Ranma, never noticing Ukyo   
coming up behind her. There then was a loud clang as Ukyo's spatula   
whapped Shampoo hard on the back of the head. The purple haired girl's   
eyes rolled up and she crumpled to the floor. Everyone looked at Ukyo,   
who shrugged.  
  
"It saves time," she said putting her spatula away. "Lets get going."  
  
"Right then," Kami said and motioned with his hand, and a flying carpet  
floated down, piloted by what looked like a black genie. "Climb aboard   
and we will follow after her."  
  
"You know once upon a time I would have thought a flying carpet was insane," Nabiki said, she then turned to the three young saiyajins.  
  
"I want my sister back," she said seriously. "Do it and all your debts   
are cancelled."  
  
Everyone looked shocked by that.  
  
"We'll bring her back Nabiki," Ryoga assured her taking both her hands   
in his.  
  
"Yeah," Ranma agreed with a confident smirk. "Just don't let that macho  
tomboy get in trouble if she wakes up before we get back."  
  
"Ranma!" Ryoga yelled letting go of Nabiki's hands to punch Ranma in the  
face. "How dare you say that about Akane!"  
  
This earned Ryoga a spatulaing from Ukyo.  
  
"Leave my Ranchan alone," she snapped.  
  
Nabiki looked at them incredulously, then rubbed the bridge of her nose.  
Everyone else just sweatdropped, except for Soun who began to wail   
about his poor doomed daughter.  
  
"If you children are finished its time to go," Cologne said. She was  
sitting on the carpet. "Of course if you'd rather stay here then   
rescue the Tendo girl that is your choice."  
  
The three teenagers blushed, and looked slightly sheepish as they   
climbed on to the carpet, which then lifted into the air and began to   
speed off.  
  
"Good luck you guys," Nabiki whispered as she watched them leave. "I   
think you're going to need it...and please let Kasumi come out of this   
okay."  
  
1b: Choices and fights  
  
Many miles away, Peppria came to a stop in a large field. She dropped   
her captive on the ground and turned to look to the sky. Her scouter   
bleeped and she smirked.  
  
"Looks like they're taking the bait," she said looking down at the  
unconscious Kasumi. Her smirk quickly turned to a scowl.  
  
"How did a weakling like you manage to hit me," she said as she used her  
foot to roll the girl on to her back. "Oh well, if the others don't   
work out I can always beat you into shape."  
  
She watched the girl's breathing for a moment then shook her head and  
sighed.  
  
"To think the mighty saiyajin race has been reduced to this. This has   
been a real waste of my time."  
  
She flopped down onto the ground beside Kasumi and put her hands under   
her head to stare up at the sky.  
  
"Its just not fair," She said. "My first real mission and I don't even   
get to cause any real damage. I can't even take over this stupid world   
until I've taken care of you and those other weaklings. Feh, like I   
need them to conquer this stupid little world."  
  
Peppria turned her head to look at Kasumi, and found that the girl had  
curled into a ball on the soft grass and was sleeping soundly with a   
peaceful, contented look on her face, and shuddered.   
  
"It just isn't natural for a saiyajin to look like that," she said, then  
turned back to look at the sky. "If that is what this planet does to   
you I say we just destroy it."  
  
She lay there quietly watching the clouds drift by. A few moments   
passed in silence, then the girl beside her began to stir. With a   
stretch, and a yawn, the girl sat up and looked around blinking.  
  
"Oh my, w-where am I," Kasumi asked looking around. Peppria grinned   
and got to her feet to tower over the girl.  
  
"You!" Kasumi gasped in horror. Peppria smirked at the look of momentary  
dread the girl's face. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to hit you so hard  
earlier, I don't know what came over me, are you okay?"  
  
"W-what?" Peppria asked as a sweatdrop formed on the side of her head.  
  
"I just feel so terrible," Kasumi said. "I hope I didn't give you a  
bruise."  
  
"..." Peppria said as matching sweatdrop formed on the other side of her  
head. "I don't think you understand just what's going on here. I   
kidnapped you, and when your friends get here to save you, they will   
either have to help me conquer this world or I will kill them."  
  
Kasumi blinked at that, and Peppria was slightly mollified to see that   
the girl looked somewhat afraid now. Peppria took a step towards the   
girl, then stopped as her scouter beeped.  
  
"They're here," she said and turned to face her visitors. She watched   
as a flying carpet descended for the sky and shook her head.  
  
"Can't even fly," she said and smirked. She looked towards Kami with   
mild surprise.  
  
"A namek?" She said. "I didn't think I'd find one of your kind here."  
  
"I have no idea what you mean," Kami replied. Pepprai laughed.  
  
"Whatever you say old man, I'll deal with you later," she said then   
turned to the other saiyajins. She looked at Ryoga and frowned.  
  
"I thought I took care of you already," she said.  
  
"I'm the one that's going to take care of you for hurting Akane," Ryoga  
snarled and charged forward.  
  
"Ryoga, wait!" Ranma shouted, but it was too late, the lost boy was   
already committed. "That pig, he knows he can't take her one on one.   
Come on Ukyo!"  
  
So saying, he and Ukyo joined the fight. Not that it was much of a   
contest. The three martial artists were good, perhaps among the best of   
their generation, none of them, however were able to land a blow on the   
female saiyajin. She dodged and danced around them contemptuously.   
Kasumi watched it all in wide eyed awe. She had not had the   
opportunity to watch many of the fights that went on concerning her   
sisters fiance, but had secretly enjoyed those she had seen. Not that   
she wanted to hurt anyone, but watching them she would always feel a   
little regret at having abandoned her own training when she was young.   
She blushed as she realized that she would very much like to have   
joined them in this fight. Beside her Kami and Cologne stood also   
watching the fight, though their faces were more grim.  
  
After a fury of blows thrown by the trio failed to connect, the   
combatants separated. Peppria still looked smug, while the three   
Nerimains looked the worse for the exchanges.  
  
"Th-this isn't working," Ukyo said between pants. "She's too fast."  
  
"You three are pathetic," Peppria said. "A disgrace to a proud race."  
  
"I'll show you a disgrace! No one turns Ryoga Hibiki into a monkey and  
gets away with it!" Ryoga snarled, and dropped into a crouching stance,   
his arms crossed before his chest a sullen red aura began to   
surround him.  
  
"Whoa," Ranma said steeping away from the lost boy, as Ukyo did the   
same. Peppria frowned and tapped her scouter. She frowned more as the   
boys power reading began to climb.  
  
"And just what are you doing?" she asked.  
  
"I'm going to end this, and make you pay for what you did to Akane,"   
Ryoga snarled as his body began to tremble. "Shi Shi Hokodan, revised,   
Washing Your Troubles Away!"  
  
Ryoga threw his arms forward, and for a moment a red lion's head   
appeared, then it focused into a ball of red energy.  
  
"Take this!" Ryoga shouted and the ball streaked forward and impacted   
with the saiyajin warrior. The force of the blast knocked the three   
martial artists, along with Kami, Kasumi, and Cologne off their feet,   
and filled the air with dust and debris. Ranma got to his feet   
coughing and look to Ryoga in shock.   
  
"What the hell was that!?" he asked. Ryoga smirked.  
  
"Oh just a little thing I came up with for our next fight," he   
said. "Its a pity I had to use it now."  
  
Ranma sweatdropped.  
  
"You were going to use THAT on me?" he asked incredulously. "How did   
you do that anyway."  
  
Ryoga grinned.  
  
"Now that is a secret," he said, causing Ranma to groan. Tears then   
came to the lost boy's eye. "I defeated her, that means I'm the hero   
not Ranma!"  
  
He then began to laugh maniacally and did a little dance of joy.   
Everyone stared at him and sweatdropped.  
  
"A little early to be celebrating," came a voice from out of the dust   
cloud. Everyone turned in shock.  
  
"N-no way anyone could have survived that," Ryoga said numbly. As the   
dust dissipated, however, Peppria was revealed, standing floating over   
a crater, apparently none the worse for Ryoga's attack.  
  
"No way," Ukyo murmured and let her spatula fall from her fingers.   
Peppria mearly smirked.  
  
"Not bad," Peppria said. "I actually felt that. Why if you had caught   
me off guard it might actually have hurt."  
  
She chuckled at that and then cracked her knuckles.  
  
"My turn," she said and vanished. Before they could react, she   
reappeared behind Ukyo and gave the chef a kick to the back that sent   
her flying, then charged Ryoga and toppled the lost boy with a punch   
to the stomach. Before she could go after Ranma, however, the  
pigtailed martial artist brought the fight to her with a quick kick to   
the face. Momentarily catching her off guard, Ranma pressed his   
advantage hitting her hard and fast with his chestnut fist. Peppria   
grunted from the blows, and it appeared that Ranma had the advantage.   
That was until Peppria caught his fist. With a snarl, she jerked   
the boy forward and threw him with all her might. Ranma twisted in mid   
air, and as he impacted on a nearby group of sapplings, used their   
flexiblility to launch him back at Peppria.  
  
"Well it worked with Pantyhose," he thought as all the kinetic energy   
of the throw and rebound of the trees was added to his own strength.   
The kick hit the girl square on the jaw, with a sound like the crack of   
thunder. The force of the blow was like that of a bomb, and when the   
dust settled. Peppria lay in a crater, with Ranma on his knees beside   
her panting.  
  
"I-I did it," Ranma said. "I beat her."  
  
He painfully got to his feet and look to the others.  
  
"G-good job Ranchan," Ukyo said. Ryoga merely scowled and rubbed one   
hand protectivly in front of his midsection.  
  
"Oh my I hope she isn't hurt," Kasumi said covering her mouth with her   
had. "Well not too much, a little would be okay."  
  
Everyone turned to look at Kasumi, and she blushed slightly.  
  
"I'm just glad its all over," Ranma said as he stepped out of the   
crater.  
  
"Oh its not over, yet, not by a long shot," came an angry voice behind   
him. Ranma cringed and looked cautiously over his shoulder. He jumped   
away and threw up warding signs as Peppria got slowly to her feet. Her   
armor was cracked and a small amount of blood was present on her lip.  
  
"That hurt," she said looking angrily at Ranma. "You are going to die."  
  
"Oh boy," Ranma said backing away slowly. He then began to run as the  
saiyajin lifted into the air and began to rain small ki blast at him.  
  
"Think think think," Ranma said to himself. "You can't just keep   
running forever."  
  
He caught sight of Ryoga out the corner of his eye, and suddenly   
skidded to a stop. He turned to face Peppria and dropped into a   
defensive stance with a grin more cocky then normal on his face.  
  
"Desided to take your fate like a man I see," Peppria said. Ranma's   
grin waivered, then returned full force.  
  
"Ah blow it out of your butt monkey girl," Ranma said.  
  
The others all gasped.  
  
"What is that moron doing?" Ryoga said.  
  
"Ranchan don't make her any madder than she already is, you jackass!"   
Ukyo shouted.  
  
Peppria growled. She held her hands before her and formed a large ball   
of energy.  
  
"Die!" she shrieked and fired it at Ranma. The others screamed his   
name, but Ranma ignored them, the smirk never leaving his face.   
Seconds before the beam hit, he dropped into a strange stance, but   
whatever it was he was attempted appeared to be a second to late. The   
beam hit him and exploded, and when the smoke cleared, nothing was left   
but a smoking hole in the ground. Peppria checked her scouter, and   
finding no power reading for the boy smirked.  
  
"That's one pest gone," she said.  
  
"Ranma no," Ukyo said and fell to her knees as the tears streamed down.  
Kasumi was also crying, and even Cologne's old eyes had a trace of mist   
in them. Ryoga stood motionless starring at the hole where his rival   
once stood, a thousand mixed emotions going through his head.  
  
"Y-you bitch," Ukyo hissed and looked up at Peppria with hate filled   
eyes. With a snarl she launched herself at the saiyajin, slashing at   
her with her spatula in a bezerker rage. For a moment, Peppria was   
actually hard pressed to defend herself from the savagery of the   
attack. She dodged her head to the side with only milliseconds to   
spare from having it separated for her body and jumped into the air to   
distance herself from the enraged girl. She felt something warm on her   
cheek and put her hand up to find blood seeping from a cut. She glared   
down at the chef. With a snarl she attacked. The fight was fast and  
brutal, and though Ukyo made a good showing of herself, it was also   
extremely one sided. In the end, Peppria caught Ukyo with a back hand   
punch to the face that sent the girl flying into the tree line were she   
impacted with a tree and shattered its trunk. She fell to the ground   
and though her chest moved showing she had survived, she did not try to   
stand again.  
  
"Ranma, Ukyo," Ryoga said in a daze, looking from the hole that had   
been his rival, to the girl's battered and beaten form.  
  
"That was harder than I expected," Peppria said. She was sporting a few  
minor cuts from Ukyo's attack, but was otherwise unharmed. Peppria   
raised her hand and pointed it towards the downed chef. A glowing ball   
began to form. "Better take care of her before she can cause anymore   
problems."  
  
"Say hello to your boyfriend in the next world," Peppria smirked. "And   
when I'm done, I'll kill your friends here, then kill all those other   
fools at that house."  
  
  
She laughed to herself, then stopped as her scouter began to   
beep. "What's this?"  
  
She turned to the others and saw the girl she had kidnapped glowing and  
staring hateful at her.  
  
"No," Kasumi said quietly as everyone that knew her gazed at her in   
shock. "no more, I won't let you hurt my friends or my family, I   
won't, I WON'T!"  
  
The last was shouted and suddenly Kasumi was suddenly bathed in flames.  
  
"968?" Peppria read. "Thats impossible where is this power coming  
from! Thats only slightly less than my own power."  
  
"I WON'T LET YOU HURT THEM!" Kasumi screamed, then charged the supprised  
warrior. She landed a fury of sloppy, but powerful blows on the warrior  
that forced her to her a knee. Kasumi reared back to deliver the last   
blow, lost in the song of vengence, anger and battle that sang in her   
blood.  
  
"D-don't hurt me," Peppria said looking up at Kasumi. Instantly the   
haze left her eyes and she stared in horror at what she had done.  
  
"Oh my, I'm so sorry!" Kasumi said. "I don't know what came over me."  
  
"That's your saiyajin blood talking to you," Peppria said. "Its no   
longer suppressed and now is coming up to the surface."  
  
She held up her hand, as if asking Kasumi to help her stand, and with   
out thinking, the girl took it.  
  
"No Kasumi is a trick!" Ryoga shouted. This caused her to look in his  
direction. Peppria smiled at her now distracted opponent and struck.   
Kasumi looked back just in time to catch Peppria's fist in her face.   
She flew a few feet in the air and came to a rolling stop not far from   
Ukyo, unconscious.  
  
"You monster," Ryoga yelled and started to charge her, he stopped   
however as she raised her hand and aimed it at him, Cologne, and Kami.  
  
"Bye-bye," she said as the ki ball began to form.  
  
"Bye-bye yourself," came a voice from nowhere. Peppria suddenly jerked   
as Ranma appeared behind her, clenching her tail tightly in his hands.  
  
"B-but I killed you," Peppria gasped.  
  
"Saotome school of martial arts final attack, Fast Break revised with   
the Umisen-ken," he said with a smirk. "Don't believe everything you   
see."  
  
Ranma then turned to Ryoga.  
  
"Ryoga man you have to blast us with that new move of yours while I got   
her helpless," he said.  
  
"But you.." Ryoga began.  
  
"Forget about me P-chan," Ranma said. "Hey at least this way you get ta  
live out your life's dream and be the hero."  
  
Ryoga nodded and began gathering his energy. Peppria struggled in   
escape, but Ranma had a firm grip on her.  
  
"NO!" she shouted at the same instant Ryoga shouted out his attack. If  
anything, this blast was more spectacular than the last, and when the   
dust settled the crater formed was twice as large. In the center of   
the crater lay Ranma and Peppria.  
  
Ryoga, Kami, and Cologne all raced over to the fallen pair. Both were   
still alive, but it was quite obvious that that was only a momentary   
condition.  
  
"Well porky you finally got me," Ranma said to Ryoga. Ryoga mearly   
looked down at what was he had viewed as his most hated enemy.  
  
"I-I guess I did," he said in a hoarse voice, then looked away to hide   
his tearing eyes. "Its just the dirt in the air" he told himself as he   
wiped his eyes and tried to swollow the lump forming in his throat.  
  
"Well son-in-law you always were a crazy one," Cologne said, not   
hidding the tears forming. "It has been a true joy to know you."  
  
"Ra-ranma," they all looked up to see Ukyo wobbling to them.  
  
"Ucchan? You look like hell," Ranma said. Ukyo fell to her knees  
beside him and took his hand.  
  
"You don't look to good yourself Ranchan," she said. Ranma smirked,   
then coughed up a mouthful of blood.  
  
"Well I guess that's it for me," he said. "Good-bye Ucchan, and take   
care of Shampoo for me you old ghoul, and you watch out for that tomboy   
for me porky."  
  
Ranma Saotome, then closed his eyes and left this world. Ukyo   
collapsed against him sobbing. Cologne also cried, while Ryoga looked   
to the sky, fighting back tears.  
  
"There is no need to be sad," Kami said to them. "He can be brought   
back."  
  
He sweatdropped as Ukyo was suddenly in his face, grasping him by the   
front of his robe.  
  
"What, how?" she asked. Then began shaking him when he only sweated   
more.  
  
"The Dragon balls," Cologne said. "Of course."  
  
Ukyo stopped her shaking to stare down at the old woman.  
  
"What are dragon balls?"  
  
"Seven balls that when gathered together summon the eternal dragon to   
grant a wish," Kami explained. Ukyo let go of Kami and he took a step   
back in releif. Ukyo began to do a little dance of joy, then stopped   
and collapsed as the excitement gave way again to her injuries.  
  
"We're going to get Ranchan back," she croaked happily.  
  
Suddenly a ragged laugh was heard. They all turned to where Peppria lay  
watching them with a smug, victorious smile on her battered face.  
  
"Thank you for that information," she said. "My friends were most  
interested in learning that."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Ryoga asked taking a step towards her.  
Peppria laughed again, and the effort brought blood to her lips.  
  
"These scouters do more than read an opponants power, they also act as  
communicators," she said. "Everything that has happened here was seen   
by my two friends. And they are most interested in gaining a wish."  
  
"Who are these friends of yours, and where are they?" Cologne asked.  
  
"They are saiyajin warriors, and at the moment they are busy with other  
business," Peppria answered. She stopped as if listening and grinned   
at them. "They're going to give you a year to prepare for their   
comming, after all they don't want this to be too easy for them. You   
see, my power is nothing compared to theirs. I was left behind here on   
this miserable planet because I was the weakest."  
  
"M-more powerful than you?" Ryoga asked. They all looked at each other   
in silent dread as Peppria laughed.  
  
"Enjoy your victory," Peppria taunted. "It won't last long."  
  
And then she jerked to and spit a fountain of blood, then lay still.  
  
"This changes things," Kami said. He looked at Ranma's still form and   
waved his hand. "I must speak with someone. It is very important that   
you do not use the dragon balls to bring Ranma back yet."  
  
"What are you planning," Cologne asked, silencing Ukyo's protests.  
  
"If what the girl said is true, then we are in grave danger and must   
begin to prepare immediately." Kami said. "Go and assemble all those   
fighters at my look out. They must begin their training. Time is of   
the essence."  
  
Cologne nodded.  
  
"What about Ranma," Ukyo said. "We're going to need him too!"  
  
"I will see if I can get Ranma some special training in the other   
world," Kami said. "As harsh as it may sound, his dieing may actually   
have been to our advantage."  
  
Ukyo growled at that but said nothing.  
  
"Speaking of special training," Cologne said looking over to the still  
unconsious Tendo girl. "I wish to take that girl under my wing and see   
what I can do."  
  
Kami thought for a moment and nodded.  
  
"So be it," He said and began to fade away. "I will met you at my look   
out when I have finished my business with Ranma."  
  
When he had gone, Cologne looked at the two ragged teenagers and sighed.  
  
"Now for the hard part," she said. "Which of us is going to tell the   
others that Ranma is dead, if only temporally."  
  
Her only response was the howl of the wind.  
  
C&C, Flames, can be sent to brokenworks@hotmail.com (or new email)  
Thanks for any feed back positive or negative 


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